Caleb Ansen is hungry for more after getting first-team experience at Norwich City this season.
The youngster has been named to the Canaries’ bench twice, once at Sunderland and once at Carrow Road, and is regularly training with City’s first-team shot-stoppers under the supervision of keeper coach Paul Clements.
Ansen’s goal is for those experiences to become more frequent, and he is grateful to City’s senior keepers for their assistance.
“It’s been very beneficial to me.” It will help me grow and push me forward. It’s good from the goalkeeping staff who help me every day to improve and get the most out of myself. It’s been a beneficial learning experience.
Ansen, who has been with the Canaries since signing as an under-13 in 2018, has regularly worked with Angus Gunn and George Long at Colney while transitioning from under-18s to under-21 football.
“I’m still quite young.” (Angus Gunn and George Long) were extremely helpful and taught me a great deal. “I’m astounded by some of the things they do,” Ansen told the Pink Un after appearing in City’s Youth Cup defeat to Leeds on Friday.
“Some of what they do is unbelievable. I’ll keep learning from them, and things will progress from there.”
Ansen will face stiff competition as he works his way up the goalkeeping ranks at Carrow Road. He has outgrown Greg Crane’s under-18s and is now playing for the under-21s. A loan could be the next step in his development.
With ex-City keeper Declan Rudd, who has taken on the role of lead academy goalkeeping coach after being forced to end his career prematurely due to injury, he has a familiar face guiding him through an important part of his education.
Ansen appreciates Rudd’s help and plans to draw on all of his experience as he progresses at Carrow Road.
“He is demanding, but he is very good for me,” the adolescent explained. “He’s been with me since I started my scholarship, and I’ve learned so much from him because he used to play at a high level.
“I cannot express how grateful I am to him. We still have a lot to learn, but it’s taken a long time for me to get here. “I want to learn more and more.”
